For the first time since 1996, Loudoun Country Public Schools chose to cancel their midterm exams due to the intensive amount of snow days. As a high school, this was the first time this cancellation occurred for Dominion.

Dr. Edgar B. Hatrick, the superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, was the ultimate decision maker when it came to canceling midterm exams. After he came to his conclusion, he let the principals of each school know.

Dr. Brewer felt it was a “good idea due to the amount of snow days we have had so far.” With a total of eleven snow days and four 2-hour delays, the amount of teaching time has drastically been minimized.

Brewer continued to say he feels it was smart of Hatrick to prioritize teaching time over midterm exams, saying “because of the snow we cannot do everything that was planned for this school year.”

With the cancellation of exams, Brewer feels that the students grades were “absolutely positively effected.” Along with Brewer, other teachers at Dominion feel that the cancellation of exams benefited their students.

Mr. Avalos stated that he thinks the cancellation of exams “positively affects almost every one of his students grades.” Another teacher, Mr. George, said he understood the reasoning for such cancellation and as an added bonus was excited to “not have to grade any exams.”

Even though Hatrick cancelled midterms, however, teachers were still allowed to test their students on the information they were expected to know. Instead of having this as a midterm grade, it would be placed in their third quarter grades.

Additionally, if any students wanted to take their midterm, they were given the option to take it on a day that worked for the student or teacher. Avalos, along with other teachers, received requests, which were worked out between the student and the teacher.

With the first year for Dominion High School with no midterm exams, it appears the senior class will have the ability to be exam free the entire year, as Brewer reassured the student body that “this cancellation has no affect on senior exam exemption for finals.”